Nōgata, Fukuoka

Nōgata (直方市) is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 55,151 in 27684 households, and a population density of 890 persons per km². The total area of the city is 61.76 km2.

Geography
Nōgata is located in the northern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, at the northern tip of the Chikuhō region. It is located approximately 30 km southwest of the center of Kitakyūshū City and approximately 50 km northeast of Fukuoka City. The center of the city is a plain, located almost in the center of the Chikuhō Plain, and the Onga River, which combines the Hikoyama River and the Inunaki River, flows through it. The urban area is centered around the area sandwiched between the Onga River and the JR Kyushu Chikuhō Main Line (Fukuhoku Yutaka Line). The eastern and western regions are residential areas, the southern area is an industrial area, and the northern area is a rural area. In the eastern part of the city, the Fukuchi Mountains run north-south, and have an average elevation of 600 meters, including Mt. Takatori and Mt. Shakudake, centered around the main peak, Mt. Fukuchi (900.8 meters).

Neighboring municipalities
Fukuoka Prefecture
 * Kitakyūshū
 * Iizuka
 * Miyawaka
 * Kotake
 * Kurate
 * Fukuchi

Climate
Nōgata has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Nōgata is 15.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1560 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.7 °C.

Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Nōgata is as shown below

History
The area of Nōgata was part of ancient Chikuzen Province. The oldest recorded meteorite fall occurred at Nōgata on May 19 in the year of 861. (ja:直方隕石) In the Nara period, a settlement developed around the Shingon temple of Toren-ji. The temple was destroyed in the Muromachi period and was replaced by a castle occupied by Prince Kaneyoshi during the wars of the Nanboku-chō period. During the Edo Period, it was part of the holdings of Fukuoka Domain under the Kuroda clan. From 1675 to 1677 and again from 1688 to 1720, it was the site of Nōgata Domain, a sub-domain of Fukuoka Domain. Although the domain was subsumed back into Fukuoka Domain due to lack of succession, the merchants of Nōgata succeeded in re-routing the Nagasaki kaidō highway through what is now the city center. After the Meiji restoration, the villages of Fukuchi, Shimosakai, Tonno, Niiri, and Ueki were established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Ueki was raised to town status on March 14, 1900. On November 1, 1926, Fukuchi, Shimosakai, Tonno, and Shiniri merged to form the town of Nōgata. Nōgata was raised to city status on January 1, 1931, and absorbed the town of Ueki on March 31, 1955.

Government
Nōgata has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 19 members. Nōgata contributes one member to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Fukuoka 8th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy
During the Meiji period, Nōgata, along with the other municipalities of the Chikuhō area, developed with the Kitakyushu industrial zone through coal mining, and is still considered part of to the Greater Kitakyushu Metropolitan Area. However, as the demand for coal decreased due to the energy revolution, the coal mines that had sponsored prosperity have all closed, leading to depopulation. The economic activity of the town is now a mixture of commerce and light manufacturing. Due to its proximity to Kitakyūshū, it is increasing becoming a commuter town.

Education
Nōgata has eleven public elementary schools and four public junior high schools operated by the city government and three public high schools operated by the Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private high school and the prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

Railways
JR Kyushu - Chikuhō Main Line
 * - Nōgata - Shinnyū - Chikuzen-Ueki

Chikuhō Electric Railroad Line
 * ■ Ongano - Ganda -Chikuhō-Nōgata

Heisei Chikuhō Railway - Ita Line
 * Nōgata - Minami-Nōgata-Gotenguchi -  - Fujitana - Nakaizumi

Nōgata Coal Memorial Museum
Nōgata's Coal Memorial Museum provides visitors with the history of coal mines in the area. Its exhibits include a steam locomotive, the machines for digging and extracting coal, coal miner's clothes, and other memorabilia. Closed Mondays. It is next to Taga Park.

Ongagawa Riverside Park
In spring, it features blooms of yellow flowers, and in April, a colorful Tulip Festival is held. About 200,000 people visit the festival for the period. The park is also a site where a fireworks show is held each year.

Noted people from Nōgata

 * Kaiō Hiroyuki, sumo wrestler
 * Kenji Yonekura, professional boxer